Harking back to Chipko movement

In the 1970s, the Chipko movement saw villagers in the then undivided Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand) embracing trees to save them from being axed.

On Friday, AAP leader Somnath Bharti led students of Ramjas School at R.K. Puram here back to the Chipko movement by hugging the trees on the school campus as they were educated about the ills of present-day practice of the indiscriminate felling of trees in the city that is battling high-level pollution.

Mr Bharti embraced a palm tree during a ‘hug a tree’ programme organised by environmental activist Padmavati Dwivedi of Compassionate Living, which is working against mindless felling of trees and concretization.

“A tree is going to help you both ways; outward and inward and helps in the growth of the soul. Jagdish Chandra of Kolkata (then Calcutta) showed with his experiments that trees have feelings too,” he said as he embraced a tree and asked students to approach a tree, embrace it, close their eyes and feel as if they are embracing their parents or friends.

Later, he along with the students started a tree census wherein all the trees on the school campus were numbered and statistics recorded.

The tree census is being done to keep a record of trees in the area which would provide data on the types of trees and their health and number which comes in handy in case some trees discreetly fell in future.

Chhavi Bhatt, a ninth grader member of the school’s eco club, said: “I have been seeing these trees for 12 years, but today is the first time when I have felt them.”

The Oldest, Tallest, Most Massive Plants on Earth

Trees Considered The Most Massive, Oldest and Tallest

Trees are the most massive living things and certainly the tallest plants on earth. Several tree species also live longer than any other terrestrial organism. Here are five notable tree species that continue to break giant and large tree records all over the world.

1. Bristlecone Pine - The Oldest Tree On Earth

The oldest living organisms on earth are North America's bristlecone pine trees. The species scientific name,Pinus longaeva, is a tribute to the pine's longevity. California's "Methuselah" bristlecone is nearly 5,000 years and it has lived longer than any other tree. These trees grow in harsh environments and only grow in six western U.S. states.

The oldest bristlecones usually grow at elevations of 10,000 to 11,000 feet.

Bristlecone pines grow in isolated groves at and just below the timber line.

The bristlecone pines are the oldest single living organisms known.

Bristlecone Pine Facts:

The oldest bristlecones usually grow at elevations of 10,000 to 11,000 feet.

Bristlecone pines grow in isolated groves at and just below the timber line.

The bristlecone pines are the oldest single living organisms known.

2. Banyan - Tree With The Most Massive Spread

The banyan tree or Ficus benghalensis is known for its massive spreading trunk and root system. It is also a member of the strangler fig family. Banyan is the National tree of India and a tree in Calcutta is one of the world's largest. The crown of this Indian giant banyan tree takes ten minutes to walk around.

The first banyan tree in the U.S. was planted by Thomas Alva Edison in Fort Myers, Florida and considered a U.S. champion.

A banyan tree, in a 1719 novel by Daniel Defoe, was where Robinson Crusoe makes his home.

The Banyan tree is mentioned in many religious scriptures as a tree of immortality.

Banyan Tree Facts:

The first banyan tree in the U.S. was planted by Thomas Alva Edison in Fort Myers, Florida and considered a U.S. champion.

A banyan tree, in a 1719 novel by Daniel Defoe, was where Robinson Crusoe makes his home.

The Banyan tree is mentioned in many religious scriptures as a tree of immortality.

3. Coastal Redwood - The Tallest Tree On Earth

Coastal redwoods are the tallest organisms in the world. Sequoia sempervirens can exceed 360 feet in height and are constantly measured to find the largest grove and the largest tree. Interestlingly, these records are often kept secret to prevent tree location from becoming public. Redwood is a close relative of Southern baldcypress and the giant sequoias of the Sierra Nevada.

During the Summer of 2006, the tallest redwood, Hyperion, was discovered measuring nearly 380 feet.

Forty-one living trees have been measured to be more 361 feet tall.

Although coastal redwood can thrive with 25 to 122 inches of rainfall, the frequent local summer fog essentially reduces the trees' loss of water through evaporation.

4. Giant Sequoia - Estimated the World's Heaviest Tree

Giant sequoia trees are conifers and grow only in a narrow 60-mile strip on the west slope of the U.S. Sierra Nevada. A few rare Sequoiadendron giganteumspecimens have grown taller than 300 feet in this environment but it is the Giant sequoia’s huge girth that make it a champion. Sequoias are commonly more than 20 feet in diameter and at least one has grown to 35 feet across.

Sequoias are massive and are the largest trees on earth in terms of total wood volume.

The largest Sequoiadendron giganteum is the General Sherman located in the Giant Forest Grove.

5. Monkeypod - Largest Tree Crown Diameters on Earth

Samanea saman, or monkeypod tree, is a massive shade and landscape tree that is native to tropical America. The dome-shaped crowns of monkeypods can exceed diameters of 200 feet. The tree's wood is commonly turned into platters, bowls, carvings and are commonly displayed and sold in Hawaii. The tree pods have a sweet, sticky brown pulp, and are used for cattle feed in Central America.

Monkeypod's natural range is in Central America, reaching from Yucatan Mexico south to Peru and Brazil.

Monkeypod, also called raintree, has leaflets that curl at night and on cloudy days, allowing rain to pass easily through the canopy.

30 of the Most Inspiring Things Anyone Ever Said

The start of a new week or a new month--heck, a new anything--brings with it an opportunity. You can either keep doing what you've done in the past (whether it's worked well or not). Or, you can take stock, take charge, and try something new.

If you've ever found yourself in a rut, chances are you could use a little bit of inspiration. So, start your day by reading and reflecting on some great pieces of advice like the ones below. They're among the most inspiring things anyone has ever said.

1. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."--Helen Keller

2. "Do what you can, where you are, with what you have."--Teddy Roosevelt

3. "You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing, no one to blame."--Erica Jong

4. "It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."--Abraham Lincoln

5. "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."--Maya Angelou

6. "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why."--Mark Twain

7. "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."--Henry Ford

8. "There are no traffic jams along the extra mile."--Roger Staubach

9. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."--Eleanor Roosevelt

10. "There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing."--Aristotle

11. "Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."--Dalai Lama

24. "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."--Henry David Thoreau

25. "One man with courage makes a majority."--Andrew Jackson

26. When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.--Erma Bombeck

27. "The best way to predict the future is to create it."--Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee

28. "Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's a day you've had everything to do and you've done it."--Margaret Thatcher

29. "Champions keep playing until they get it right."--Billie Jean King

30. "It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings."--Ann Landers

30 of the Most Inspiring Things Anyone Ever Said

The start of a new week or a new month--heck, a new anything--brings with it an opportunity. You can either keep doing what you've done in the past (whether it's worked well or not). Or, you can take stock, take charge, and try something new.

If you've ever found yourself in a rut, chances are you could use a little bit of inspiration. So, start your day by reading and reflecting on some great pieces of advice like the ones below. They're among the most inspiring things anyone has ever said.

1. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."--Helen Keller

2. "Do what you can, where you are, with what you have."--Teddy Roosevelt

3. "You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing, no one to blame."--Erica Jong

4. "It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."--Abraham Lincoln

5. "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."--Maya Angelou

6. "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why."--Mark Twain

7. "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."--Henry Ford

8. "There are no traffic jams along the extra mile."--Roger Staubach

9. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."--Eleanor Roosevelt

10. "There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing."--Aristotle

11. "Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."--Dalai Lama

24. "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."--Henry David Thoreau

25. "One man with courage makes a majority."--Andrew Jackson

26. When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.--Erma Bombeck

27. "The best way to predict the future is to create it."--Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee

28. "Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's a day you've had everything to do and you've done it."--Margaret Thatcher

29. "Champions keep playing until they get it right."--Billie Jean King

30. "It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings."--Ann Landers

10 Amazing Castles on College Campuses

Stop worrying about student loans! These college castles will have you feeling like the royalty that you are. High towers, parapets, battlements, opulent rooms—these buildings have it all. You can take classes, attend special events or conferences, and even, in some cases, sleep in them. These are our top ten picks for colleges with campus castles; if you’re going to move away from mom and dad, you might as well do it as majestically as possible, right? Saddle your noble steed, and pack up your jewels, cloak, and favorite jester—just maybe leave your sword and hunting hounds at home.

10. Kansas State University's Nichols Hall

Nichols Hall, on the campus of Kansas State University, isn't messing around. This is your fortress castle, your sturdy, no nonsense, down-to-earth and down-to-business castle. Today, it hosts the Communication Studies, Theater, Dance, and Computing/Information departments, but—built in 1911—it originally housed the P.E. and military science departments, complete with a pool in the basement. In 1968, a massive fire (arson, rumored to be in protest of America’s presence in Vietnam) completely gutted the inside; the outer walls remained undamaged. After almost being torn down, the hall was restored and rebuilt in 1986. Tenacious but triumphant, this castle features impressive battlements, lots of square towers, and rigid symmetry. All it needs now are those heralds with the really long trumpets, their bright banners unfurled, blasting a sunrise fanfare across the prairies.

9. The Castle at Boston University

The Boston University Castle, also just called “The Castle,” was completed in 1915, and is a “Tudor Revival” mansion (And you know something’s legit when it’s got “Tudor” in its name). Built for William Lindsey—who made his fortune in the Boer War—as a private residence, The Castle changed hands a few times before being donated to Boston University in 1939. Now, it serves as a venue for concerts, receptions, and special events, with the basement level pub open to students and staff. And, if that’s not enough, it also makes an appearance in the film 21. Featuring several gables, bay windows, balconies, climbing ivy, flowering trees out front, and the hint of some battlements, this castle is everything Queen Elizabeth I was: regal, beautiful, a bit intimidating, determined, solid but graceful, and able to command a vast imperial armada. OK, not that last one, but you get the idea.

8. The Steinheim at Alfred University

Proving that castles don’t have to be large to be impressive, Alfred University’s Steinheim building was built with over 8,000 different rock specimens. Originally designed as a private residence back in the 1870s—who doesn't want to live in a castle??—the Steinheim (German for “stone house”) has also been a natural history museum, space for classrooms, studios for the university’s radio station, and now serves as the Career Development Center. (Also good for you Harry Potter or Game of Thrones fans.) Channel your inner Baron or Baroness as you wait for an appointment with a career counselor, brooding over your wintry kingdom, Wagner’s Tannhäuser blasting on your iPod.

7. Main Building at Rosemont College

Rosemont College’s “Main Building” was originally the home of Joseph Sinnott—a prosperous owner of large rye distillery—and his family, until the early 1920s. Now, this spacious building houses some of Rosemont’s administrative offices. Also known as “Rathalla” (Gaelic for “home of the chieftain upon the highest hill”) this castle is more than a stone fortress. Ornate details along the eaves, dormers, gables, turrets, balconies, cupolas—you name it, this castle has it. Pace its grounds at night, though, (maybe in early November, with a heavy cloak, lantern, and your trusty hounds?) and you just might stumble cross the ghost of a Gaelic Viscount, out for treasure and revenge.

6. Wesleyan Hall at the University of North Alabama

Here’s one for you southern princes and princesses: University of North Alabama’sWesleyan Hall. This castle is full of history, and is pretty stunning-looking, to boot. Completed in 1856, this castle boasts impressive octagonal turrets that flank the front entrance and outside corners. In a very clean Gothic-revival style, Wesleyan Hall stands with an ordered symmetry, with tall windows and beautiful brick-work. Back in the day, it housed both Confederate and Union soldiers, including William Tecumsah Sherman and John Bell Hood. Now, it is home to the Geography, Foreign Language, and Psychology departments, as well as offices for the Dean of Arts and Sciences. And, the tidy front lawn looks like it would be perfect for some late afternoon lounging—or maybe a picnic? Gold plates and jeweled goblets optional.

5. Usen Castle at Brandeis University

Brandeis University’s Usen Castle is one of the finest, because you can actually live there. Yeah, you read that right. You can live. In. A. Castle. Offering a range of room sizes and styles, Usen also hosts administrative offices and a coffeehouse. It was originally a part of the Middlesex College of Medicine and Surgery; the founders of Brandeis acquired the campus in 1945 when Middlesex College closed. Built in the Norman style, Usen Castle has everything a castle should: turrents, towers, parapets, and even climbing ivy. (And it’s another good one for you Game of Thrones fans). Start packing your tapestries, four poster beds, and hire a minstrel; you’re living like royalty now. Oh, and you should probably go to class every so often, too.

4. Reid Hall at Manhattanville College

Reid Hall—located on the campus of Manhattanville College—is the perfect combination of elegance and ruggedness. It’s all right angles and hefty stone work, but with touches of regal delicacy that make it more than the sum of its parts. The arched windows, the patios and porches, the beautiful grounds, the exquisite interior: these make this castle stand out from the crowd. Built in 1892 as a private dwelling, Reid Hall (named for Whitelaw Reid, its first inhabitant) was purchased by Manhattanville College in 1951, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Now, lords and ladies, you are able to rent out this gorgeous space for special events, conferences, and weddings. We’re talking marble staircases, stained glass windows, tapestries, chandeliers—the works. (Note: suits of armor and bear-skin rugs not included.)

3. Thompson Memorial Library at Vassar College

The Thompson Memorial Library at Vassar College isn’t your average, everyday castle. With its Gothic-influenced architecture (buttresses, battlements, pinnacles, and all) this library is like Anne Hathaway’s Mia Thermopolis after her make-over in The Princess Diaries. Elegant. Classy. Royal. We’re talking stained glass windows, tapestries, stone carvings, and quotations in Latin. Completed in 1905 as a memorial to Frederick Thompson, the library has gone through a few expansions and updates over the years. Its main reading room is an absolute masterpiece of architecture and beauty. And, if you’re still not impressed, it houses over 1 million books, including special collections, archives, and a rare books room. Haul your textbooks over there on a rainy Sunday in March; you might be cramming for a Physics or Calculus exam, but by god, you’ll be doing it in style.

2. The Castle at Felician College

The Castle at Felician College has a history almost as grand as the old fairy tales themselves. Built in 1869 as a simple two-story home, Hill House (as it was originally named) passed through many owners, including a bank and Farleigh Dickinson University. One of the owners installed a pool on the second floor. The building was expanded and modified with each owner until it was purchased by Felician College in 1997. A massive renovation process began with a focus on restoring the building to its original glory and style. During this process, renovators discovered hidden stained glass windows, ebony molding, domed ceilings, wall sculptures, and a dumb-waiter. This red-roofed, country estate now hosts the Student Center, with plans for a chapel and office space. Now that’s what you call a “happily ever after.”

1. Grey Towers Castle at Arcadia University

Arcadia University’s Grey Towers Castle is basically the standard against which all other college castles are based. Just look at it—sweeping outdoor staircases, stout towers, detailed stone work, parapets, battlements (proper battlements!), arched doorways, and what looks to be about seven or eight chimneys. Designed after Alnwick Castle, a medieval home for the Dukes of Northumberland, Grey Towers was completed in the early 20th century. Originally the home of William Welsh Harrison, owner of a sugar refinery, the castle was purchased by Arcadia in 1929. It now serves as administrative offices, and, you guessed it, student housing. Extra points go to Grey Towers for: interior balconies, tapestries, ceilings with painted scenes, caryatids, secret passages. Seriously, what else could you want?

5 Quick English Grammar Tips Common Mistakes Made by Native English Speakers

I often hear five English grammar mistakes from people who grew up speaking English. It's a difficult language to master. In many rural areas, English grammar becomes relaxed and just plain wrong. How's your grammar? Here are five quick English grammar tips. ﻿Brush up before you go back to school. You might save a little embarrassment.And while you're at it, pick up a grammar book and listen carefully to the people around you who you know have proper grammar. Listen.Without using a lot of confusing grammatical language, I'll explain as easily as I can why the following examples are mistakes

1. Me and Tim, Tim and IWrong: Me and Tim are going to a movie tonight.Right: Tim and I are going to a movie tonight.Why?If you take Tim out of the sentence, "you" are the subject. You are going to a movie. When you're going to a movie, what do you say?"I am going to a movie."You wouldn't say, "Me am going to a movie."When you add Tim, the sentence construction remains the same. You're simply adding Tim, and it's correct to say the other person's name first."Tim and I are going to a movie."Your test is always to take the other person out of the sentence, decide on "I" or "me," and then put the other person back in.

2. We Was, We Were"Am, are, was, and were" are all parts of the powerful little verb, "to be."What trips people up with this mighty little verb is present tense and past tense. If something is happening now, it's present tense. If it already happened, it's past tense.Singular and plural also becomes a problem. Compare the following:We (Tim and I) "are" going to a movie. (present tense, plural)I "am" going to a movie. (present tense, singular)We (Tim and I) "were" going to a movie. (past tense, plural)I "was" going to a movie. (past tense, singular)Can you hear the difference?It is never correct to say, "We was..."Why? Because we is plural. We always "were"...Variation on this problem:I see. I saw. I have seen.Never: I seen.

3. Had Ran, Had RunI heard this on the scanner in the newsroom one day: "He had ran into the woods by the time I got there."Wrong.Right: "He had run into the woods by the time I got there."This is a problem of not understanding the perfect tense.It's confusing, no doubt.

4. She Don't, She DoneThis is a problem of conjugating the verb, "to do."Wrong: She don't know what she's talking about. (You wouldn't say, "She do not know...")Right: She doesn't know what she's talking about. (She does not know...)Wrong: Everyone knows she done it. ("Done" is not the past tense of did.)Right: Everyone knows she did it.

5. It's Broke, It's BrokenWe're not talking finances here. Well, fixing whatever is broken might involve finances, but that's another matter altogether.I hear people say, "It's broke," when they mean, "It's broken."This problem has to do with the part of speech called past participles. Listen:It breaks.It broke. (past)It has broken. Or: It is broken.Never: It is broke.

Do You Know Your Learning Style ??

How do you learn best? We've gathered our favorite learning styles inventories and articles to help you find out how you learn best. When you know how you learn best, you can make the most of the time you have in your busy life for learning something new. When you know how your students learn best, you can make learning easier for them.

1. Your Peak Learning Time
What time of day are you at your best for learning something new? When you can schedule learning for your peak learning time, information soaks into your brain a little easier. Then you've got extra time for something else!

2. Are You a Grouper or a Stringer?
Do you look for big ideas and overall concepts when learning something new? Or are you a by-the-book, one-thing-at-a-time, starting-from-the-very-beginning kind of person?

3. Four Quadrants of Learning
Based on Ned Herrmann's pioneering work, this inventory helps you identify whether you prefer facts or feelings, logic or imagination, and thinking things through yourself or with other people.

4. Learning to Learn - A New Learning Style
This new approach to learning by Marcia Heiman demands questioning, and we mean that in the most positive way. Heiman's new learning system is all about asking questions. Which questions are you asking?

5. A Practical Reader in the Universal Design for Learning
There are some in the education field who don't necessarily believe in learning styles. There are some who believe in a universal design for learning. What is it?

Six Free Ways to Find People with Google

If you're looking for information about someone, one of the best places you can start your search on the Web is Google. You can use Google to find background information, phone numbers, addresses, maps, even news items. Plus, it's all free.

1. Use Google to Find a Phone Number
You can use Google to find both business and residential phone numbers on the Web. Simply type in the name of the person or business, preferably with quotation marks around the name, and if the phone number has been entered somewhere on the Web, than it will come up in your search results.

2. A reverse phone number lookup is still possible to do with Google (even though they've changed their policies regarding this recently). A "reverse lookup" means you're using the phone number you have already to track down further information, such as a name, an address, or business information.

3. Use Quotes When You're Looking for Something
You can find a lot of information about someone simply by entering their name in quotation marks, like this:
"little bo peep"
If the person you're looking for has an unusual name, you don't necessarily need to put the name in quotation marks in order for this to work.

4. Pinpoint a location using Google Maps

You can find all sorts of useful information with Google Maps, simply by typing in an address. In fact, you can use Google Maps to:
View an entire neighborhood.
Check out business listings.
Find names, addresses, and phone numbers (with directions to any location you want).
Get a satellite, aerial, or hybrid view of the location you're looking for.
Get a street-level view of the location you're looking for (not available for all areas).
Find directions with live traffic updates.
Once you find information here, you can print it, email it, or share a link to the map itself. You can also see reviews of businesses within Google Maps simply by clicking on their map listing, as well as any websites, addresses, or associated phone numbers.
5. Track someone with a Google News Alert
If you want to stay appraised of someone's doings via the Web, a Google news alert is a good place to start. Note: this will only deliver relevant information if the person you're looking for is documented on the Web in some way.

In order to set up a Google News Alert, go to the main Google Alerts page. Here, you can set the parameters of your alert:
What kind of information you're looking for
How often you would like the alerts to come to you
The volume and quality of your news alerts
What email address you'd like them to be delivered to
6. Use Google to Find Images
Many people upload photos and images to the Web, and these images can usually found using a simple Google Images search. Navigate to Google Images, and use the person's name as a jumping-off point. You can sort your image results by size, relevance, color, type of photo, type of view, and how recently the photo or image was uploaded.

In addition, you can use an image you already have to search for more information. You can upload an image from your computer, or you can drag and drop an image from the Web. Google will scan the image and deliver search results that are related to that specific image (for more information, read Search By Image).

11 Great Ways to Improve Your Memory

Do you find yourself forgetting where you left your keys or blanking out information on important tests? Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do to help improve your memory.

Obviously, utilizing some sort of reminder system can help. Setting up an online calender that sends reminders to your phone can help you keep track of all those appointments and meetings. Creating daily to-do lists can ensure that you don't forget important tasks that need to be completed.

But what about all the important information that you need to actually cement into your long-term memory? It will take some effort and even involve tweaking or dramatically changing your normal study routine, but there are a number of strategies you can utilize to get more out of your memory.

Before your next big exam, be sure to check out some of these tried and tested techniques for improving memory. These research-proven strategies can effectively improve memory, enhance recall, and increase retention of information.

1. Focus your attention on the materials you are studying.
2. Avoid cramming by establishing regular study sessions.
3. Structure and organize the information you are studying.
4. Utilize mnemonic devices to remember information.
5. Elaborate and rehearse the information you are studying.
6. Visualize concepts to improve memory and recall.
7. Relate new information to things you already know.
8. Teach new concepts to another person.
9. Pay extra attention to difficult information.
10. Vary your study routine.
11. Get some sleep.

How was Chess invented ???

Picture a chess grand master in your mind. Was your mental image of a skinny guy or girl in a button-front shirt and nylon-framed glasses? Today, chess is considered to be the domain of nerds, but it didn't start out that way...

Board games resembling chess, with similar pieces, played as early as 50 BCE in the Kushan Empire of Afghanistan. The strategic game is believed to have been used to train warriors in different battle strategies and tactics. Certainly it is a useful mental exercise in anticipating an opponent's next moves. The Kushan version likely combined strategies from the Chinese game go, with elements taken from Indian and other cultures' board games. With its position along the early Silk Road, the Kushan Empire was perfectly situated to meld different pass-times into a new game.

Another early game that may have influenced the development of chess is ashtapada, an Indian game played on an eight square by eight square board. Players roll a dice, and race to get their pieces to the end of the board. This game may have originated as early as 200 BCE, and is mentioned in Chinese records from the early Han Dynasty period.

The earliest known ancestor of modern chess is believed to be the game known as chaturanga, which developed in the 500s in the Gupta Empire of classical India. "Chaturanga" means "four divisions," a reference to the pieces that represented four military divisions. The four included the infantry, which became the pawn; the cavalry, obviously now the knight; the elephants, which funnily enough evolved into the bishops; and the charioteers, which became the rooks. Some historians posit that local prohibitions on gambling may have made ashtapada illegal, prompting the development of a strategic game in its stead.

The Indian origins of chess, rather than Chinese origins, are fairly likely given the presence of war elephants on early boards. Chinese armies did not use elephants as steeds, but Indian ones certainly did.

Although games such as chaturanga are mentioned in texts centuries earlier, the first recognizable chess pieces that archaeologists have found are from about 760 CE. They were excavated in Samarkand, in today's Uzbekistan. It seems likely that the game moved from its origination point in India westward along the Silk Road. Persian travelers and traders may have acquired chess pieces and knowledge of the game directly from India, or from Central Asian intermediaries. Some Middle Persian texts claim that they had learned of the game from the Indians as early as the 500s, during the Sassanid Empire's reign. They seem to have passed the game along to the Arabs. The oldest known chess manual is in Arabic, and dates from the 850s CE.

By the 12th century, chess had reached Europe. Scholars debate whether it came in through Spain, which was under the rule of Arabic-speaking Moors at the time, or through the Byzantine Empire in what is now Turkey. What we consider to be the standard rules of the game and names for the pieces were likely finalized in Europe around the 15th century.

It is fairly obvious that chess is a military game, given the knights and castles (rooks). But it is also a difficult game to play really well, requiring a highly competent and mathematical mind. Obviously, the officers who trained for war, down through the centuries, by playing chess were men of intellect as well as brawn.